Image: Supplied
Majid Al Futtaim recently unveiled Bright Bites, a new retail concept described as the world’s first supermarket designed specifically for children. The initiative blends shopping, play, and learning in an effort to encourage healthier eating habits and more balanced food choices among young people in the UAE.
To understand more about Bright Bites and its wider role in Majid Al Futtaim’s retail strategy, we spoke with Dr Günther Helm, CEO at Majid Al Futtaim – Retail. Here are excerpts from the conversation:
Bright Bites has been described as the world’s first supermarket designed for kids. What was the inspiration behind launching such a unique retail ecosystem in the UAE, and how do you see it shaping children’s relationship with food and nutrition?
Bright Bites was inspired by profound insights from listening to our teams and our customers and based on a simple but powerful belief that kids who eat better, feel better and do better.
As a purpose-led company we wanted to address this pragmatically, by addressing global concerns related to malnutrition and childhood obesity while supporting our customers through a daily real-life challenge – preparing a lunchbox that is more nutritionally balanced and appealing to children aged 4-11.
It’s an important moment where vision meets purpose and retail is truly shaping the habits of future customers – the children of today.
By putting children at the heart of their food journey – through a holistic ecosystem; the Kids Supermarket, the Bright Bites Academy, and the Bright Bites School Programme – we’re helping them make informed choices, have fun with food, and create lifelong positive associations with more nutritionally balanced eating.
The initiative blends gamification, learning, and play with shopping. How do you see this experience-driven approach redefining what retail means for families and the next generation of customers?
Majid Al Futtaim’s founding vision is to create great moments for everyone, everyday. As we continue honouring this legacy, we are reshaping the retail experience to capture the hearts and minds of our customers in ways that matter to them.
We are leading with purpose and reimagining the future of retail by creating more meaningful experiences that deliver value beyond the checkout and leave a lasting impact. With Bright Bites, we’ve built a space where shopping is interactive, educational, and fun. Kids can shop independently using the first-of-its-kind Bright Bites 2-in-1 play-and-shop card, unlock games, and learn as they go. This helps kids build decision-making skills, encourages independence in a trusted environment, and makes better options more appealing. It builds early brand affinity, influences long-term habits, and redefines retail as a platform for wellbeing, education, and community engagement. This is impact.
For families and the community, we have created a multi-purpose hub; the Bright Bites academy – a place that sparks conversations about food and nutrition and holds workshops that simplifies adopting more nutritionally balanced lunchboxes.
Childhood nutrition is a pressing issue globally. How does Bright Bites align with the UAE’s national priorities in health, education, and sustainability, and what kind of real-world impact are you aiming for?
Bright Bites is aligned with UAE Vision 2031 and the UAE National Nutrition Strategy 2020–2030, supporting national goals in health, education, and sustainability by making more nutritionally balanced choices accessible, affordable, and appealing.
Developed with certified nutritionists and behaviour change experts, it’s built around an evidence-based ‘Pick Your Five’ framework – aligned with the UK Eatwell Guide and UAE dietary guidelines – which encourages children to choose one item from each of five food groups: fruits and vegetables, mains, dairy, beverages, and mindful snacks.
Simple and practical, this framework helps create lasting, more nutritionally balanced habits.
With the Bright Bites school programme we are also supporting teachers and schools:
1. Introducing the ‘Pick Your Five’ system through gamification, vibrant characters, and practical tools.
2. Ready-to-use resources including lesson plans, activity guides, and logistical support.
3. Aligned with internationally recognised frameworks such as the UK Eatwell Guide and UAE national dietary guidelines.
4. Developed with certified nutritionists and behaviour change experts to ensure credibility and impact. The programme brings fun, theatre, and competition to the heart of Bright Bites.
Our ultimate goal is to enhance nutrition literacy and empower future generations to make informed, healthier food choices.
Read: Majid Al Futtaim reports 23% jump in H1 profit on digital push, property growth
Majid Al Futtaim Retail operates nearly 500 stores across the region, with Carrefour as a flagship brand. How does Bright Bites fit into your broader retail portfolio, and do you see this model expanding beyond the UAE?
Right now, Bright Bites is exclusively available at Carrefour in the UAE, and it strengthens our position as a market leader in innovation and family engagement. It’s a unique differentiator in our portfolio – combining retail, education, and wellbeing in one holistic ecosystem.
While the UAE is our launchpad, the potential for future rollouts is exciting, and we’ll ensure that any expansion stays true to the core mission of empowering families and encouraging better eating habits. Any expansion plans to other countries will be carefully evaluated based on factors like regional demand, partnerships, and the unique nutritional and cultural aspirations in each market.
Looking at your wider retail strategy, where do you see the biggest growth opportunities in the coming years? Are there new concepts, technologies, or regions that you’re prioritising?
Our growth strategy is anchored in three pillars: innovation, customer experience, and sustainability – all while staying committed to caring for our customers and communities, actively listening to their needs, and delivering solutions that make a real difference.
As we look forward, we will continue developing concepts and formats that resonate with our customers and that support food security, local suppliers and producers. We will also continue investing in our omni-channel approach and expanding our digital capabilities across markets.
As an Emirati owned company we hope to continue building on our legacy in the UAE and the region and to continue evaluating and exploring opportunities that matter.
Beyond retail, Majid Al Futtaim has built a strong ecosystem across malls, leisure, and entertainment. How important is it for you to integrate these different touchpoints, and how does that benefit customers and strengthen your growth story?
Integration is one of our biggest strengths, and it’s absolutely crucial to our growth journey and our commitment to our founder’s mission – ‘Creating Great Moments for Everyone, Everyday’. Whether it’s shopping in our malls, visiting our leisure destinations, or engaging with our retail brands, customers experience a consistent standard of quality and service.
For Bright Bites, this means we can amplify the concept through our wider ecosystem, leveraging our diverse touchpoints to create a 360-degree engagement strategy. This cross-platform approach ensures that Bright Bites messaging reaches families where they live, shop, and play, reinforcing positive food associations and strengthening brand connection and loyalty.
This integration allows us to make a tangible difference in their everyday lives, aligning with our care commitment towards our customers and communities.
Can you share some key retail trends you are seeing currently that can transform the retail industry especially in the GCC?
Three trends stand out. First, experience-led retail: customers seek meaningful interactions, which is exactly what Bright Bites delivers. Second, purpose-driven consumption: people are choosing brands that align with their values, especially around health and sustainability. And third, digital integration: from personalised offers to customised promotions and advertising, to seamless omnichannel shopping, technology is shaping the future of retail.
In the GCC, these trends are amplified by a young, connected population that is open to innovation. Bright Bites sits at the intersection of all three trends, delivering immersive experiences, a clear social purpose, and digital engagement through gamification. This makes it a model for the future of retail in the region.
